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Hawaii Over The Road Jobs

The trucking industry in Hawaii is a little different than the trucking industry in the rest of the country. However, there are still quite a few trucking and commercial transportation jobs in Hawaii. In total, there are over 7,000 truck drivers in Hawaii.

Driving over-the-road involves spending up to two weeks away from home at a time. Depending on the size of your island, you may only be away from home for a couple days at a time.

Hawaii has a unique set of job opportunities when you compare it to other states. All of their job opportunities are not at trucking companies. Instead, you may also work for retail shops, tour bus companies, and other tourist-based or retail-based industries. In this state, some of the biggest trucking employers are Serta Simmons Bedding, Uber Technologies, and Lithia Auto Stores.

Salaries in Hawaii tend to be significantly higher than the national average. Per O*Net, the average salary for a truck driver is $42,500 per year. The range of salaries goes from $32,500 to $64,000 per year (O*Net, 2013).

The outlook for Hawaii truck drivers is very positive. Between 2010 and 2020, O*Net anticipates a 17% increase in job openings for Hawaii truck drivers. This may lead to over 100 new jobs per year. Thanks to the job outlook, you may be able to find a range of open positions.

Becoming an OTR driver in Hawaii requires a lot of experience, training, and knowledge. First, you can prepare for the written exam, which is administered by the county administrative office. Consider attending a training program; the classroom part of your training may prepare you for the written exam. After you pass the written test, you get a learner's permit.

You can use your learner's permit to get experience driving a straight truck or tractor-trailer. Get as much as you can from this experience, because you'll use these driving skills as you drive around the streets and highways of Hawaii. In addition, you can learn how to load and unload a truck, document your work, and stop at weigh stations.

After you complete your education, you can return to your local administrative office and take your skills exam. Passing your skills exam allows you to get your commercial driver's license. As long as you are at least 18 years old, you can use your CDL to begin an over-the-road truck driving career.